Enjoy a No-fuss Finger Food Lunch with Perdeberg’s Gourmet Tapas Picnic [Review]

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I hate to be the bearer of bad news but we only have so many summer days left. Yes indeed, winter is coming up fast and I intend to spend as much of what’s left of the warm summer days basking in the sunshine outside. One of the best ways to while away the hours on a summer’s day is with a delicious picnic. While a good picnic doesn’t require much more than a patch of grass, a shady tree and a lovely view, what’s inside your picnic basket is oh-so-important. If like me, you love a good finger lunch to share then you can’t go wrong with Perdeberg’s Tapas Picnic for two. This no-fuss alfresco lunch coupled with Perdeberg’s beautiful setting is what summer days were made for.

One of the best things about enjoying a pre-ordered picnic in the winelands is that there’s very little work involved. There’s no schlepping to the shops to round up pre-packed picnic foods or spend hours slaving away in the kitchen. There’s no need to worry about forgetting the plates, wine glasses, or serviettes, you can just show up and enjoy. Located in Paarl, Perdeberg offers picnic guests a beautifully serene and shady lawn – complete with picnic tables, a kid’s playground, and umbrellas – where you can sit back, relax, and tuck in. If you prefer your picnics to take place on the ground, simply pop a picnic blanket in your car and pick a shady spot on the lawn upon arrival.

But enough dilly-dallying let’s talk about the food. Perdeberg’s generous gourmet picnic boxes are packed with a wide variety of finger-foods that are sure to appeal to every taste bud. To be honest, when I saw the word “tapas” a part of me was concerned that we would leave the farm hungry and inevitably end up stopping at the local Steers on the way home but the portions in the picnic basket were quite large for tapas portions and the meal offered more than enough to leave two people feeling just the right amount of full.

The basket came with a choice of wine (either a bottle of the Perdeberg Dry Land Collection Pioneer Pinot Noir or Perdeberg Chardonnay 2017) and the food packed inside the box was presented beautifully without being overly pretentious or complicated. The food had a sort of homey, “comfort food” vibe and it was clear that each morsel on the menu was prepared with love.

Some of the highlights for me were the Patatas Bravas (that’s fancy Spanish fried potato wedges to you and me) topped with crispy chorizo and aged pecorino cheese; Grilled sticky BBQ chicken wings served with a chimichurri aioli; and the Chilli, honey and soy-roasted pork tacos with chilli and pineapple salsa.

The Patatas Bravas were perfectly crisp on the outside and soft in the middle (the way a good potato wedge should be) while the chicken wings were sticky, tender, and oh-so-moreish. If I’d arrived hungrier I could have easily put away another portion of those finger-licking-good wings all on my own.

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The bite-sized pork tacos offered a wonderful bit of crunch and spiciness to the lunch and were beyond delicious. A Lemon-marinated artichoke and baby leaf salad (accompanied by charred zucchini, slow roasted cherry tomatoes, Danish feta and a pesto emulsion) brought a wonderful fresh element to the meal without being boring – not many places get a “simple” salad right but this one was divine!

We ended off our lunch on a sweet note with a decadent Vanilla Bean Pannacotta topped with strawberries and chocolate crumble – which coincidentally paired beautifully with the Chardonnay 2017!

The Perdeberg Tapas Picnic is available daily and orders can be collected at either 11:30 and 12:30 – booking is essential. The basket is R250 for two people and includes a bottle of wine. Perdeberg also offers a kid’s picnic at an additional R85 which includes flavoured milk!

For more information and to book your spot now visit the Perdeberg website.